The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
May. 14, 2013

Filed:

Jan. 27, 2010
Applicants:

Andrew Benjamin David Brown, Cambridge, GB;

Richard Topliss, Trumpington, GB;

Inventors:

Andrew Benjamin David Brown, Cambridge, GB;

Richard Topliss, Trumpington, GB;

Assignee:
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G02B 7/02 (2006.01); G03B 3/10 (2006.01); H04N 5/225 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract

An SMA actuation apparatus comprises a camera lens element supported on a support structure by a plurality of flexures. An SMA wire at an acute angle to the movement axis and a biasing element are connected between the support structure and the movable element. A component of the force applied by the SMA wire perpendicular to the movement axis compresses the flexures causing them to apply a force to the movable element having a component along the movement axis in the same direction as the SMA wire. An end-stop limits the movement of the movable element, and the moment applied by the end-stop to the movable element about the center of stiffness is equal to the moment applied by the SMA wire about the center of stiffness at the point when the movable element loses contact with the end-stop on contraction of the SMA wire.


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